I’ve searched to see if a thread for this exists, but didn’t find one that gave me a link. Anyone know of any good side shields for glasses that have worked/met safety regulations at FIRST events?
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Hi,
I have always struggled, with safety glasses, because I have a huge head and the over glasses give me a headache…
Anyways I love these and am always asked for a pair at competition.
SEPTLS11299700 - Bouton Slip-On Sideshields - 99700 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002A5DLP4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_wTLPybHF2MEAC
These work well, and are available from a number of places besides amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Bouton-Sideshields-glasses-Flexible-99705/dp/B000RMJ368/
Sideshields do not make any glasses safety glasses. Z87 ANSI rated sideshields only make glasses safety glasses if the glasses are already ANSI rated for use with sideshields. Although they might look like any other pair of glasses, glasses designed to be safety glasses when used with sideshields are different as they follow impact standards not met by standard glasses. The only way to have a pair of ANSI rated prescription safety glasses is if the frames, lenses, and the sideshields are ANSI rated. ANSI rated glasses and shideshields are marked with some version of “Z87”. Yes, I know it is annoying, but safety comes first.
We bought this last year for my son and he likes them.
Good to know! I had assumed that I was good since my prescription glasses had polycarbonate lenses, and the side shields wrapped around the lenses.
FWIW, I have been told by event coordinators that these will not be allowed at FIRST in Michigan events. They are too flimsy.
The other two options linked above are ok, per the same FiM source.
+1
Normal prescription glasses are not ANSI rated and they are NOT safety glasses. I believe you can get special ANSI rated prescription glasses, with than you can use shields. Per Safety manual you need to have ANSI (Z87 is US standard) and equivalent are must for anyone working in pits/workshop and near field. Glasses must be clear or yellow tinted, no dark or reflective glasses. In the past Safety judges may not have been very strict about it, but this is all about your own eyes. Keep them safe.
Who shared this? That’s what they have been handing out for years at every michigan event we’ve been to lately. I always chuckle a bit as the kid wearing those on his non-safety rated glasses gives me trouble for not having my rated side shields on my rated prescription glasses when I am walking towards the pits…
The only real solution for prescription lenses that don’t have rated frames is a pair of safety glasses that can be worn over the top of the prescription glasses.
Depending on the 'script, the lenses may be too thin, even if polycarb. More importantly, non-safety frames aren’t rated for retaining the lenses under impact. Rimless or half-rim frames are obviously going to fail there, but even full rims might not retain the lenses under that impact if they’re not specifically designed for it. Executive summary here. Basically, the Z87 rating is serious business, since safety glasses are supposed to protect your eyes from chunks of metal flying at them.
I second these, I’ve been using them for years.
Since I am at the field for the entire event for at least 6 events a year, I decided to just bite the bullet and get a real pair of prescription safety glasses and found that RX-Safety.com* has very good prices, very fast service and the prescription was spot on. Here are mine and if you are at Arizona North, Arizona West, or Colorado Regionals this year, you’ll see them on me.
And they were even in Blue & Yellow (Hi Team 60!)
*I have nothing to do with the company other than as a very satisfied customer. I can’t stand over-glasses things, don’t believe the #side shields# offer any protection at all, and I can wear these from Wednesday morning field build to Saturday evening teardown, looking down into bots and all without any issues. I have been hit in the cheek with debris in the past from a bot and would rather not chance my sight by not doing what I can to protect myself.
I have had my prescriptions safety glasses inspected by safety advisors at events to look for the Z87 mark.
At World Champs, UL would not allow us to have these flimsy ones either. I can back that up as well. We banned them this year on our team.
I would personally recommend using side shields (real ones, not the super thin flat polycarbonate ones that you bend) for situations where you don’t really need safety glasses, but you have to wear them because of the rules. This would be walking between pits, walking to the field, being on the field behind the glass, etc.
Any time you are actually working on a machine, using a power tool, in close proximity to anyone using a power tool, etc; put on the real safety glasses, for real safety.
This way you can avoid the headaches, double vision, blurry vision, etc while still being Actually Safe when you actually need to be safe. And they provide some degree of protection for hazards you don’t expect.
I have a pair of perscription safety glases on order but til they arrive I place three pairs of these on order for less than $10.
Speaking as someone who has ansi safety glasses that are old enough to be any pre-college team member’s mom…
There is never such thing as zero risk. Mitigating risks always come with a cost and often with increasing other risk factors.
The Ansi rated side shields paired with most modern poly carbonate prescription glasses gives adequate protection for the pit environment. Any environment that they do not, you really should be thinking about full face shields and not wearing contacts. Anything that hits you hard enough to differentiate regular poly lenses from ansi rated lens is going to give you an nasty laceration anyway. Given the $300+ cost of prescription safe glasses and the real vision reduction of glasses over glasses, I will take regular poly glasses with ansi rated side shield.
Please keep in mind I am not your mom and internet advice is worth what you pay for it
While I agree with that sentiment, that doesn’t really change the rules. However, since it is apparent that no one (judges, volunteers) cares, do what you want.
Note that some safety people will make you wear safety glasses over your glasses anyways. Better to buy a decent pair of those.
The reason for this is because eyeglasses aren’t really rated for the same sort of eye protection that safety glasses are.
I have a laser cutter at work, my boss lasered Z87+ onto his sunglasses. He also let me laser engrave our company logo onto his thumbnail, he said it was “warm”.
But yes, you do need safety rated glasses if you are doing things that require safety glasses.